Americans set their clocks back an hour on Sunday as daylight saving time officially comes to an end. The shift occurs at 2 am, when clocks will move back to 1 am. The seasonal adjustment, which began on March 9, concludes today, November 2.
Unlike in spring, when an hour is lost as clocks skip from 1:59 am to 3 am, the fall transition means the 1 o'clock hour will occur twice overnight.
Daylight saving time will resume in March 2026, when clocks move forward once again by one hour.
What Is Daylight Saving Time?
Daylight saving time is the practice of adjusting clocks forward in spring and back in fall to make better use of daylight. The idea is to move an hour of sunlight from the morning to the evening during the longer days of summer. The United States first adopted the system under the Standard Time Act of 1918 to conserve energy and make the most of daylight hours.
How Long Does Standard Time Last?
Standard time lasts through the autumn and winter months, bringing earlier sunsets and longer nights. It remains in effect until daylight saving time resumes in March, next year on March 8, and will end again in November.
How To Adjust To The Change?
Adjusting to the end of daylight saving time takes a few days. Harvard experts advise keeping a consistent sleep schedule, getting morning sunlight to reset your body clock, and avoiding caffeine or alcohol late in the day. Dimming lights and limiting screen time before bed can help you fall asleep more easily, while steady routines for meals, exercise, and rest make the transition smoother.
Why Do We Change Clocks?
After its first introduction during World War I, daylight saving time was briefly repealed and later reintroduced during World War II. In 1966, the Uniform Time Act standardised the start and end dates across the country, though states could choose to opt out. The current schedule, beginning the second Sunday in March and ending the first Sunday in November, has been in place since 2007.
Do Other Countries Use It?
About one-third of the world's countries observe some form of daylight saving time, mostly across Europe and North America. Some countries in the Southern Hemisphere also use it, but their schedules are reversed because their seasons are opposite. Many nations once used daylight saving time but have since abandoned the practice.
Who Doesn't Observe It?
Hawaii and most of Arizona stay on standard time all year and do not change their clocks. US territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands also remain on permanent standard time.
Can It Be Ended?
There have been efforts to make daylight saving time permanent. The US Senate passed the “Sunshine Protection Act” in 2022 to eliminate the need to change clocks twice a year, but the bill stalled in the House. Several states have passed their own measures in favour of permanent daylight saving time, though federal approval is still required.
